On 17 July, campaigner, and former Metropolitan Police Officer John Murray, 65, is holding a memorial service for WPC Yvonne Fletcher who was murdered outside the Libyan Embassy, in St James’s Square, London, in 1984.
Yvonne Fletcher’s murderer has never been brought to justice and John Murray has been campaigning tirelessly for over 35 years for justice for his colleague and friend, who was standing next to him when she was shot in the back.
On 17 July at 10.000 am, thirty invited guests will assemble in St James Square to remember Yvonne Fletcher. The memorial service will be conducted by Rector Kelvin Woolmer and at 10.15 am, to coincide with the time Yvonne was shot, six doves will be released.
On 17 April 1984, WPC Yvonne Fletcher and PC John Murray were among officers sent to police a small demonstration outside the former Libyan Embassy in central London. The 25-year-old WPC was hit in the back by a gunshot from a first-floor window and died in Westminster Hospital a short time later. Several Libyans were deported from the embassy after the killing, including the chief suspect Saleh Ibrahim Mabrouk. Mabrouk was arrested by UK police in 2015 in connection with the murder but in 2017 he was informed that the case against him would not proceed, and he has never been charged.
In Yvonne’s last moments, Mr Murray promised he would find her killers. “I remember every detail of what happened that day, including my promise to Yvonne, as she lay dying, that I would bring her killers to justice.
“I am delighted that on 10 November I will be in the High Court where my private prosecution to sue Mabrouk for the injury caused to me on the day of the shooting will be heard. I am only suing him for £1, the money is not important, what is important is that after 37 years the evidence about Mabrouk’s involvement will eventually be made public and this High Court hearing may lead to overturning the 2017 decision not to proceed with a criminal prosecution. I sincerely hope that Yvonne will finally get the justice I promised her and Mabrouk is finally tried for conspiracy to murder, in a criminal court.”
John Murray has been fighting for justice for over 35 years and is confident that the promise he made to Yvonne, to bring her killer to justice, is getting closer.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
John Murray is available for interview
About the Memorial Service
Due to pandemic restrictions Yvonne Fletcher’s memorial service was postponed from 17 April, the anniversary of her death, and will be held on 17 July at 10.00am in St James’s Square, London.
The service will be conducted by Rector Kelvin Woolmer, assisted by two Chaplains and six peace doves will be released at 10.15 am
If pandemic restrictions are lifted many more are expected to join the service.
About Yvonne Fletcher
Twenty-five-year-old Police Officer Yvonne Fletcher was murdered on 17 April 1984 by a shot fired from the Libyan embassy in St James’s Square, London. Fletcher had been deployed to monitor a demonstration against the Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and died shortly afterwards. Her death resulted in an eleven-day siege of the embassy, at the end of which those inside were expelled from the country and the United Kingdom severed diplomatic relations with Libya.
About John Murray
Former Metropolitan Police officer John Murray has been fighting for over 35 years, to keep his promise to bring to justice those who were responsible for the murder of his colleague and friend WPC Yvonne Fletcher.
